Semper - Fred Weasley

Chapter XL

„And say hello to Luna.“ the curly-haired girl hugged her best friend tightly as she apologized again for not being able to stay.

„And, Penny, I’m so sorry you-„, but she was cut short.

„Nah, not another word! Off you go!“ Hermione nodded and with a smile she left.

Penny turned on her heel and made her way into the kitchen, where she picked out some muggle restaurant flyers.

„Chinese, Italian or Leaky Cauldron?“ she called and waited for the twins to answer.

She leaned against the kitchen counter and drummed her fingers on the surface as she waited for the two to make up their minds.

She heard the murmurs that indicated their disagreement, each trying to convince the other of their choice.

After what felt like hours to Penny, the answer finally came.

„Chinese,“ Fred’s voice echoed through the flat. „The usual.“

Penny nodded and started ordering.

„Is she alright?“ George took the chance to ask his brother while his wife was busy in the kitchen.

„She says so, at least,“ he chewed on the inside of his cheek and thought about it.

„I don’t think so, ", he sighed.

"But she wants to be strong, she doesn’t want to show weakness and we should respect that.“

George nodded. „And what about you?“ he asked.

„What what about you?“

„Come on, Freddie. Your wife has a potentially deadly illness, so I’m asking you once again, how are you?“ he looked at him and when Fred couldn’t avoid his gaze and their eyes met, George took a deep breath.

„I thought so,“ he slid forward in his chair and playfully punched Fred in the knee.

„She’ll be okay. And if you want to talk, you know where to find me.“, more words weren’t necessary, George knew, a single look into his twin’s eyes and he felt it all.

A short time later Penny came back into the living room with a bottle of firewhisky and three glasses, which she put on the table and Fred immediately started to pour them their drinks.

The night flew by, between good conversations, firewhisky, rounds of exploding snap, lots of laughter and more firewhisky until Fred and Penny were finally in bed.

„I enjoyed that.“ she snuggled her head into the crook of Fred’s neck and inhaled his scent.

His unique scent that feels like home and that Penny would recognize anywhere.

It brought her peace and comfort and she wished nothing more than to be surrounded by it for the rest of her life, because that would mean Fred would always be by her side.

„Me too. It was just like it used to be, don’t you think? Just you, Georgie and me,“ he said with a hint of sadness in his voice that didn’t go unnoticed.

Fred was lying on his back, one arm under his head and the other hand twisting a strand of Penny’s hair around his fingers.

And he felt completely at ease with the love of his life in his arms, but…

„Are you okay, Freddie?“ she tilted her head up a bit to see him.

„Sure, don’t worry.“, he didn’t know why he wasn’t telling her the truth at that moment.